Apparatus for cleaning air-filter cells



Dec. 2, 1930. J. R. M CONNELL ET AL 1,733,194

APPARATUS FOR CLEANING AIR FILTER CELLS Filed Deg. 9, 1926 Z 6 Qgwuewto'cs I 35 31; Gnome/1 Patented Dec. 2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE v JOHN E. mcooNNELL, or ANCHORAGE, AND ALBERT s. LEWIs, JR, orLOUISVILLE,

KENTUCKY, ASSIGNORS, BY- MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, To AMEnrcANAIE ILTEE COM-PANY, INc., F LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY, A. CORPORATION or DELAWARE APPARATUSFOR CLEANING AIR FILTER CELLS Application filed December 9, 1926. SerialNo. 153,583.

This invention relates to apparatus for.

cleaning or removing accumulations of dirt and other impurities from airfilter cells.

It is an object of this invention to provide an apparatus in whichairfilter cells may be cleaned rapidly and thoroughly and with outhandling or manipulation by an attendant other than the mere insertionand removal of the filter into or from the apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appearhereinafter.

' A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes ofillustration is shown in the accompanyi g drawings, in which,

1 Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a horizontal section on the line 22 of Figure 4.

Figure 3 is a side elevation, and Figure 4 is a vertical section on theline 90 4-4 of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings, theapparatus comprises a tank 1 which may beconvenient- 1y supported on the four legs 2. Inside the tank 1 andpreferably supported on the bottom thereof is a framework consisting offour legs 3 which are connected together by means of the horizontallydisposed angle bars 4. Supported upon the framework thus formed is aframe or conduit 5 formed of sheet metal or other suitable materialwhich may be of a size and shape toreceive the body of a filter cell ofstandard size and shape but which may engage the flange of the cell tosupport the same in the manner illustratedin Figure 4., the filter cell6 being indicated therein in dotted lines.

A steam pipe 7 is provided to connect the apparatus with a suitablesupply of steam and the said pipe passes through one side of the frameor conduit 5 and is connected to a coil 7 of any suitable size andshape, the coil being provided with perforations which project jets ofsteam toward the filter cell above. Underneath the filter cell and the.steam coil and supported on the angle bars 4 are a pair of foraminoussheets 8 and 9 which form a bottom for the cell supporting structure,foraminous sheets being provided in order that water may pass throughfrom beneath to the filter cell above, while dirt and sediment areimpeded. Preferably the sheet 8 may be a sheet of expanded metal whilethe sheet 9 may be of rather fine mesh wire screen. Forty-mesh wirescreen may be used to advantage for this purpose.

Arranged at the bottom of, the tank 1 is a drain pipe 10 having avalvell which may be opened to permit the tank to be emptied. Connectedwith the. drain pipe 10 is 'an overflow drain pipe 12 which extendsranged at one side of the tank 1.

When the apparatus is used for cleaning filter cells, the tank 1 isfilled with hot water up to the level of the bottom of the trough 13.

The filter' cell is then inserted in the manner illustrated in Figure 4and, it will be observed, is completely immersed in the water. The steamis then turned on and the jets of steam which are projected upwardlytoward the .to the bottom of the trough 13 which is arfilter cell causea current of steam and water to flow through the cell whereby theaccumulated dirt and impurities are rapidly removed. As will beobserved, the wire screen at the bottom of the supporting structureprevents dirt from rising with the water and passing again into thefilter cell.

The filter medium in cells of the type disclosed is commonly coated witha viscous liquid such as oil for example, which, of course, is removedwith the accumulated dirt and impurities. This oil, carrying with it thelarger part of the accumulated dirt floats to the surface of the waterin the tank and for the most part is removed through the overflow 'pipe12so that the water in the tank needs to be renewed only at infrequentintervals. While the apparatus is in use, the conwithin the scope of thesubjoined claim.

We claim as our invention:

Cleaning apparatus for air filter units comprising a tank adapted tocontain a liquid, a unit supporting receptacle therein having a unitreceiving opening and walls includin a strainer, adapted to form anenclosure or separating strained liquid in the receptacle fromunstrained liquid in the tank, and a 5 steam projector in the receptacleeffectively positioned between the strainer and said opening and havingsteam outlets directed toward said opening.

In testimony whereof, We have signed our names to this specificationthis sixth day of December, 1926. JOHN R. MGCONNELL. ALBERT S. LEWIS,JR.

